Assignment
– Students will be required to complete four papers during the course. Your first paper is due at the end of Week 3, second paper is due at the end of Week 4; the third paper is due at the end of Week 5; and the fourth paper is due at the end of Week 6. Rubrics will be used to grade your work. Assignments should be written in the format of the most current edition of the APA manual. Each paper must be submitted via Blackboard and emailed copies will not be accepted. Policies in regard to turning work in late also apply to these assignments. Each written assignment is worth 50 points.

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Each written assignment will consist of a paper that is at least 3 full pages. Each paper must be double spaced with size 12 Times New Roman font and 1 inch margins on all sides. You will need to follow the example provided under course information and need a title page, body (at least 3 full pages), and reference section all in APA style. Please use complete sentences, appropriate grammar, spelling, and 3 scholarly references. You will also be required to use in-text references in your work in accordance with APA style to avoid plagiarism. Information to help with your writing is provided under the APA resources section of the course information tab.

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Please use at least 3 scholarly sources (empirical articles, journals, books, or other methods) to support your primary resource which is your textbook. Be sure to avoid using internet sources such as Wikipedia or other web-based resources that do not have strong academic backing. You will also be required to use in-text references in your work in accordance with APA style to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism detection software will be used to scan each paper.

Written Assignment #1 Topics (Due by 11:59 pm on Sunday of Week 3):

Please choose 1 of the following topics for written assignment #1:

•          In Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning, he mentioned several phenomena which affect the learning process. In your written assignment, please be sure to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of 1) acquisition, 2) extinction and recovery, 3) generalization and discrimination, and 4) higher order conditioning by using a real-life example (different than what used in your discussion boards or in your text).

•          Please briefly explain Edward Thorndike’s theory of Connectionism. Please explain his general ideas about animal intelligence as well as his use of puzzle boxes. Furthermore, discuss his concepts of the Law of Exercise, Law of Effect, and Law of Readiness as they apply to the learning process. Please use examples to illustrate your thoughts.

•          A healthy, fully functioning brain is key in the learning process. Please discuss how the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain work together to help promote learning. Please also discuss at least 1 brain injury or disease and the potential issues that could arise as a result.